Politics

Czech Television reports that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš met with Social Democrat MPs on Wednesday evening, to explain the situation regarding his son's comments about being kidnapped and the Stork's Nest matter.

Czech Television reports that Andrea Pfeffer Ferklová (ANO) will be the new mayor of Karlovy Vary, the Czech Republic's most well-known spa town. She will lead a coalition that includes the Civic Democrats and a local citizen's grouping, Karlovaráci.

Lidovky.cz reports that the Chamber of Deputies voted to return a bill introduced by members of the opposition parties including the Pirates, TOP 09, STAN and ODS, which would permit Czechs abroad to vote by post.

The investigation into the Stork's Nest affair in which PM Andrej Babiš is suspected of EU subsidy fraud has taken a new twist. The prime minister's son Babiš Jr., who lives in Switzerland, told investigative reporters he had been forcibly detained in Crimea by his father's associates during the time of the investigation so that he would not be called as a witness. The news erupted like a bombshell on the Czech political scene with opposition parties threatening to call a vote of no-confidence in the government.

Over the weekend, a number of posters and pamphlets appearing to belong to the Greens appeared on cars and streets corners all over Zizkov. The Greens were quick to react, questioning their authenticity and initiating a clean up of the streets.

The battle for the Chairman's position in the Senate continues to play out, as none of the three candidates have been able to secure a consensus so far, with time running out before Wednesday's first Senate meeting.

Two weeks after the four-party coalition agreement was presented to the public, representatives of the four parties have signed the document, paving the way for Markéta Vaňková (ODS) to become mayor when the new council meets for the first time.

Jiří Zimola, the first Vice Chairman of the Social Democrats resigned his position in the party's leadership on Wednesday. Zimola who is a former MP and former Governor of the South Bohemian region, was amongst the critics of CSSD Chair Jan Hamacek, and recently initiated the 'Save CSSD' movement within the party.

On Sunday, one of the most famous Czech folk singers, Jaromír Nohavica, received the Medal of Pushkin in Moscow from Russian President Vladimir Putin. Nohavica's acceptance of the medal, which is awarded to citizens and foreigners after approval by Putin, has garnered controversy at home.